Give the Gift of the Co-op!

Co-op Friends! What a thrill it is to realize that we have doubled our member numbers since last holiday season! In order to keep up our momentum, consider this year buying a membership for someone with a cooperative spirit on your gift list. For two consecutive years, my partner Nathan and our daughter Isadora have given the gift of the co-op to close friends whom we knew were committed to ethical consumer practices. Rather than to distribute gifts that we can surely thrive without, why not give someone a gift that invites them into our cooperative venture, a gift that promises more sustainable ways of nurturing ourselves, our communities, and our environments?

This year, co-op gift parcels can be purchased at three of the Co-op’s favorite local shops in Richmond: 

Bizarre Market located during the holiday season upstairs in Chop Suey Books at 1317 West Cary Street, where a small abundance of locally made holiday treasures will delight you – from tree ornaments to chopping blocks, from jewelry to poster art. 

Harvest Grocery & Supply at 1531 W Main Street, where local and sustainable food and drink are accompanied by beautiful housewares and cookbooks. 

Na Nin at 101 S Addison Street, where you will discover earthy fragrances, artisanal body products, and a finely curated selection of new and vintage clothing. 

Pick up a co-op gift membership at any of these fantastic local businesses as you peruse some of the very best goods that RVA has to offer. 

And of course you can always purchase a gift membership online! We will make arrangements for delivery before Christmas.

Happy holiday, friends!

-Julietta Singh, Co-op Board Member

Co-op Cohorts: The Fan Report

When I relocated to Richmond in the fall of 2013 for a new job, it became immediately obvious that exciting things were happening in the area.  I had moved from a city in Florida with few healthy and socially-conscious food-purchasing options, and I was thrilled to learn about the up-and-coming Richmond Food Co-op.  Over the course of this past year, it has been truly inspiring to witness the increasing momentum generated by the Co-op and its activities, and to be part of a very passionate group of people who are highly dedicated to bringing socially responsible, affordable, and healthy food options to the Richmond area.  The more we can get the word out and increase awareness of the Co-op and connections between community members, the more quickly we can open its doors!

With this in mind, I am also the organizer of the Fan neighborhood Cohort, which seeks to bring together Co-op members and guests who live in the Fan neighborhood for social and networking gatherings.  It’s a really fun way to get to know other like-minded community members with similar interests and to share ideas about how to increase engagement in and awareness of the Co-op.  We will be having our FIRST kick-off event this coming Thursday, December 11th, 2014:  together with the East End Cohort, we are hosting a Holiday Cocktail Hour at the beautiful Jefferson Hotel.  Come out to see the holiday decorations and meet some cool people!  Everyone (both members and non-members) is welcome—you don’t have to live in the Fan or the East End to attend, and feel free to bring any guests you’d like! 

Details:  Jefferson Hotel, TJs lobby bar, 101 W. Franklin Street, Richmond.  5:30pm-7:00pm

Hope to see you there!

-Karen Dyer, Fan Cohort Leader